Inquest into the death of Tyrone Adams

Case Number: 2018/297261

Date of Findings: 9 December 2022

Magistrate: Deputy State Coroner, Magistrate Harriet Grahame

Catchwords: CORONIAL LAW – Safe Driving Policy (SDP); Police Pursuit; whether re-initiation of pursuit; vehicle stop

Responses

Recommendations

To the Commissioner of the NSW Police Force:

1. That the Commissioner of Police:
   (a) Amend the SDP to mandate that a pursuit can be commenced only if police are satisfied that a serious risk to the health and safety of a person existed before the decision to intercept or stop the vehicle.
   (b) Make clear in the terms of the SDP, and in any relevant training, that the above test is the threshold test for a police pursuit.
   (c) Amend the SDP to expressly provide that upon a pursuit being called the relevant pursuit supervisor must, as soon as practicable, ask the pursuing officer to identify the serious risk to health or safety of a person that existed before the decision to intercept or stop the vehicle, and give independent consideration to whether that threshold is met.
   (d) Ensure that state-wide mandatory training be provided to all NSWPF 50 officers on the threshold test for police pursuits.
   (e) Mandate that the serious risk to the health and safety of a person that existed before the decision to stop or intercept a vehicle be recorded for every police pursuit. 
2. That the Commissioner of Police give consideration to amending the Body Worn Video Camera Standard Operating Procedures with a view to providing further clarity in relation to the recording of conversations between police officers in circumstances where those conversations have evidentiary value; for example, where a police officer is a witness to an incident to be investigated by police. 
3. That the Commissioner of Police direct that a notification is made via Police Communication and/or by Nemesis reminding officers of that telephone calls made to and from NSWPF sites that are declared to be Emergency Services Facilities are recorded. 
4. That the Commissioner of Police give consideration to amending the practical mock trial training exercise for police pursuits in the Silver Certification Classification Course. The amendment involves changing the course so the mock example of pursuing a driver who fails to stop for a random breath test, is replaced by participants engaging in a pursuit of a pursued driver who is wanted for offences of a violent nature. 
5. That the Commissioner of Police further investigates the use of driver simulators to supplement the practical training currently provided to NSW Police Officers on urgent duty driving and police pursuits. 
6. That the Commissioner of Police incorporate within the video shown to NSWPF recruits or officers undertaking driver training at the Goulburn Academy, current information on the adverse mental health impacts that can arise for NSWPF officers as a result of participating in a police pursuit that involves death or serious injury.